Captivity
by cheri1
Summary: TenRose. Rose has been captured on an alien planet and is being held hostage by an alien seeking revenge on the Doctor. Story is told using first person POV.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

I peer into the semi-darkness, trying to find my captor. I just woke up. Somebody came from behind, put a rag over my mouth and the next thing I knew, I blacked out.

We landed on a planet called Winter. The Doctor said the natives, all refugees from an Earth-like planet, called it that because it snowed here all year long, except for two months in the summer. During this short respite from the ice and snow, the people gathered together to have a communal bazaar where they would sell goods, gossip and perhaps find a mate. Even though we landed during the warm months, it was still very chilly and there was about a foot of snow on the ground. Still, that wasn't enough to dampen the mood. Everyone was enjoying themselves and I also got into the spirit of things, walking along behind the Doctor, stopping at the booths and occasionally buying trinkets with my credit stick.

Eventually, the Doctor found a booth that sold various gadgets and gizmos that only he would be interested in and struck up a conversation with the proprietor, a stocky fellow with a face like a koala bear. The koala bear was named Uris, and he and the Doctor chatted. At first, I tried to follow along and join in, but they started talking about some machine I'd never heard of that Uris had invented and after a few minutes of listening to them spouting out technical mumbo-jumbo, I got a headache and decided to do a bit more browsing, biding my time until the Doctor was finished.

That was a huge mistake.

You see, while I was wandering around looking at necklaces, and rings, and little plastic figurines, I was being followed. Although I didn't know it at the time, someone had it in for me and when I got far enough away from the Doctor, they made their move and snatched me from the crowd.

So, here I am, tied to some kind of metal table with an IV sticking into my right arm. From what I can tell, the walls of the room are made of metal, so either I've been taken to a house, or I'm on someone's spaceship. The walls are bare and windowless, the only sound is a soft rumbling that I figure is coming from an air conditioner. The reason I think it's an air conditioner is because I can feel cold air coming down on me and now I'm freezing. I turn and look up at the IV bag, but all I can see is a clear liquid, which means there could be anything inside. I notice that it's not dripping into my arm and that makes me feel a bit better. But, I have a feeling whatever it is, it isn't going to make me feel all warm and cozy inside when it goes into my arm.

I yell at the darkness, demanding to see the face of my abductor, but there is no response. I look around me, trying to figure out if there is some kind of camera in the ceiling or walls, but I see nothing out of the ordinary. Course, that means there couldn't be one hidden somewhere. In my experience traveling with the Doctor, I've learned not to rule out anything.

As I lie here, I think about the Doctor and wonder if he knows I'm missing now. Surely, he finished his conversation and realized I'm not around. Has my captor said anything to him? You know, the old, I'm holding your companion captive, Doctor, and you will do as I say or she dies speech that all these nutters like to say. It amazes me how arrogant most of these idiots are. I grew up watching sci-fi movies at the cinema and on the telly, and I always thought the villain's speeches were so overblown and lame. But, actually, they really do talk like that in real life. I guess it's their need to boast and make themselves seem superior to someone like the Doctor that causes them to act cheesy. Their way of talking would be funny, if these people didn't mean me and the Doctor real harm.

The minutes stretch on and I wait for something to happen. Just when I thought I've been abandoned, the door opens and a man steps inside. He is tall and lithe. His face is cat-like, but the texture of his skin is more like a lizard. His flesh is yellow with brown spots, kinda like a leopard. He is wearing a skin-tight lavender bodysuit with a crescent moon badge on the right side of it. When he blinks his cat-like eyes, I can see a second eyelid underneath the lids. So, except for the smooth skin, this thing is like a giant walking cat. We stare at one another, size each other up, and then the cat alien walks over and looks down at me with complete unconcern. I ask him what I am doing here and he just smirks while he runs his finger down my cheek. I wince when I feel the claw going down my skin. I ask once more, who he is and he tells me he is an old friend of the Doctor. Somehow, I don't quite buy that and judging from the way he chuckles, I can tell he is anything but. When I tell him that, he grins.

"Very perceptive," he says. "Yes, it's true. The Doctor isn't my friend and he never will be. We crossed paths a long time ago, back when the Time Lord was a different man. The only reason I know its him is I have spies scattered across the galaxy who keep tabs on him when he's in this vicinity. Apparently, you both visited a planet near here, so they were able to get a good look at him and report back to me. After that, I kept my eyes open, hoping that you would come back, and lo and behold, you did. How lucky for me."

He leans in and I grimace when I smell his foul breath.

"And…how very unlucky for you," he whispers.

My heart begins to pound. Stuttering, I tell him in no uncertain terms what will happen to him if he harms me and what the Doctor will do to him if I end up dead. He seems amused by that and tells me that the Doctor won't lift a finger against him as long as he has me here. I tell him he doesn't know the Doctor and what he can do to him.

"I know him well enough," he says. "I know he has an emotional attachment to the people he travels with and he would rather die than see them come to harm. That IV bag contains a powerful poison that will kill you within minutes. I haven't started it yet, because I'm going to give the Time Lord a chance to surrender himself to me, peacefully. Of course, if he chooses to make trouble…"

He runs his finger down my cheek.

"Well, that would be bad news for you, pretty one."

My heart feels like it is going to burst out of my chest. I try to keep calm, do what the Doctor does, and look unconcerned, but I'm not very good at hiding the fear. I know he can see it on my face because he leans in to me.

"Don't worry, my dear, your Doctor won't let you die. Besides, it's not you I'm interested in, it's him. As long as he cooperates, you will leave this room alive."

"What about the Doctor?"

An evil smile forms on his face that fills me with dread.

"Well, I'm afraid the Doctor won't get off as easily as you will."

He laughs under his breath and my spine turns to ice. I don't know who this man is or why he wants to harm the Doctor, but I no longer care about myself.

In my mind, only the Doctor matters and I hope with all my heart that he will be all right.

The man leans back up and stares at me quietly for a moment. Then, with a smile, he turns, exits the room and I am left alone to wonder, and worry, and fear.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Arrrrrrgh!

Rule number one! How many times must I tell her that? Rule number one! Rule number one! I've said it so much, it should be ingrained in her mind. I've said it over and over like a Buddhist mantra and still she disobeys me! I finish talking to Uris. I turn around expecting to see her standing behind me…and she's not behind me! I don't mind her looking around, but a heads-up would be the polite thing to do, so I don't go crazy searching all over the planet for her.

Which is what I'm doing right this very moment. Going through the crowds, looking left and right, hoping to see her familiar face standing at one of the booths buying something. My panic increases when I don't see any sign of her.

Damn, damn, damn.

As far as I know, Winter is a benign planet. There are no major threats here. Most of the time it's so cold, people couldn't carry out evil schemes if they wanted to. But still, I've been alive too long to know that even the most peaceful planet could harbor a maniac. And if there's one person who has a knack for finding the nutters, it's Rose.

I speed up, darting around the people who are obviously not concerned with finding missing loved ones like I am. Some of the shoppers give me dirty looks when I bump into them or step on their feet, but I don't care. Rose is the only one who matters to me, at the moment. If I step on a few toes searching for her, then that's too bad.

While I'm searching, I'm suddenly aware that someone is shadowing me. Someone who looks vaguely familiar, although I can't place the face. He has yellow skin with brown spots, a cat-like face and he's wearing a purple bodysuit. He's been following me for the last five minutes, I'm sure of it. Every once in awhile, I hazard a glance at him and notice that he's not looking at the booths, his eyes are solely on me. This sets off a warning buzzer in my brain, but I can't jump to conclusions. I have to be certain he really is following me and not someone who happens to be going in the same direction I am. I decide on a little test. Turning a sharp right, I head through a couple of booths towards a nearby hill. Reaching the top of the hill, I turn…and kitty cat is right behind me. Well, I guess there's no doubt now that he's following me. Especially since he's just whipped out a blaster and is pointing it at my head. Yup, definitely following me.

"Let me guess. You were sitting in a pub knocking back a few pints with your mates and one of them said, "I wonder if one of us can capture a Time Lord?" and then you said. "Leave it to me, I'll get em!" and then you ordered another lager and you got completely pissed and ended the night passed out between two rubbish bins. Am I close?"

He glares at me. Course I figure out immediately what is really going on. Cause I'm completely brilliant, you know.

"I guessing I'm wrong. Then, how about this? You captured my companion, Rose, and you're holding her hostage and I must surrender to you, or she meets a horrible, sticky end, how's that for deductive reasoning?"

"You don't know who I am, do you, Time Lord?"

"Um…You're an angry cat alien who loves the color purple and wants to kill me?"

"I am Tarsus!"

"Okay, you're Tarsus, the angry cat alien who loves the color purple and wants to kill me."

Clearly, he is not amused. Pity, I rather like my witty banter. It's one of my many specialties. In all seriousness though, I really have no idea who he is. Like I said, he does look familiar, but I've met thousands of bad guys over the years and unless he's someone major like a Dalek, or a Cyberman, or a Sontaran, then I have no clue of his identity, and I am Tarsus is just not going to cut it. Rubbing my earlobe, I inquire politely how I know him.

"You killed my brother!"

'Kay…that still doesn't help me much, lots of people have died over the years. And…lots of people have accused little ol' me of killing such and such when I really didn't. I tell him he's gonna have to give me more information than that. Instead…he comes closer and practically shoves the blaster up my nose.

"I have no time for this! You will come with me or your companion dies!"

Ah, there it is! The old, tired obligatory threat. Why do they always say the same old thing? Can't these evil people come up with an original way to threaten me? Still, Rose's life is on the line and I can't afford to call his bluff. Sighing, I put my hands up, walk down the hill, and let him lead me to wherever Rose is.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Yup, same old thing. The march to the secret headquarters at the point of a blaster bit. Then it's down into the bowels of his hidden lair to be reunited with Rose and then listen while the egomaniac tells me his evil plan and how he will kill her if I don't obey.

I've done this same routine so much; I practically know the individual steps by heart.

We walk out into the snowy wastelands of Winter, going to what I assume is lizard kitty's hideout. Out here, the wind is extremely cold. Without the protection of the booths, it blows right into my face and I blink furiously trying to see where we're going.

"How much further?" I call out.

"Not far now, Time Lord. I promise you'll see Rose shortly."

"Good because my eyeballs are starting to freeze over."

I notice the snow is starting to swirl faster and faster now. Even though it is technically the summer season on Winter, it still is common for blizzards to start without warning. The coat I'm wearing is insulated, but I didn't bring a hat, scarf or gloves and I'm starting to feel the effects of the cold on my face and hands.

We trudge on and on and I'm beginning to think he's just leading me out here to die. It's almost whiteout conditions now and it's hard to know where we're going or if there's even anything out here.

Suddenly, my foot sinks into a deep snowdrift and with a yell, I stumble and fall face forward into the snow. I lift my head up, shake it and wipe the snow off my face while I struggle to get my footing again. I feel the blaster in my back.

"Get up!" Tarsus says.

"I'm trying!" I yell back.

"Get up or I'll kill you now and Rose dies!"

For the love of God, can't the man see I'm trying to get up as fast as I can? I don't enjoy lying here in an enormous snowdrift, freezing while I flounder around like a fish. Looking back I yell at him to help me up if he wants me to move. Tarsus hesitates a moment, then shifting the blaster to his other hand, he reaches out and grabs my wrist. Grunting, he pulls and I finally find enough of a footing to be able to stand back up. He immediately points the blaster at my head while I calmly dust the snow off my suit and coat.

"Get moving!" he yells.

"You're really pushy, anyone ever tell you that?"

I gasp when Tarsus fires a warning shot at my feet.

"I said, get moving!"

"Where?" I yell, pointing ahead of me. "I can barely see my hand in front of my face now. How much further do we have to go because I have a feeling you'll be pulling me out of snowdrifts quite frequently from here on out."

"It's not far now. Now go!"

Throwing up my hands, I walk as fast as I dare in the raging snowstorm. I think of Rose and hope she isn't outside in all this. Because if I find he's left her out in the snow to die, there'll be hell to pay.

I press on, stumbling through the snowdrifts trying not to fall down. There are a couple of times when I almost do, but I manage to keep myself upright.

Finally, I feel Tarsus grab my arm and jerk it indicating I should stop. I stand there now completely wet and cold and miserable while Tarsus reaches into a slit on his bodysuit and brings out a small flat metal device. He presses a button on it and I see a bright light flash in front of me. When it fades, I see a huge metal spaceship through the swirling flakes.

"Walk!" he commands.

Gritting my teeth, I walk towards the spaceship. I take comfort in the fact that Rose is probably inside out of the cold. However, that doesn't mean something isn't happening to her and people like Tarsus aren't known to be men of their word.

He grabs hold of my arm again just before we reach the ship and nearly jerks it out of my socket. I look back and notice the evil grin on his face and know that he deliberately did that just to be cruel. Sighing, I put my hands in my pockets trying to keep them warm while Tarsus activates the door. A large panel slides open and a ramp slowly slides out. Once it stops, Tarsus again puts the blaster in my back and I trudge up into the ship.

I sigh with relief when I finally feel warm air hitting my skin. At least Rose was warm and safe from the blizzard even if she wasn't safe from whatever diabolic scheme this nutter dreamed up. Tarsus walks in front of me and aims the blaster at my hearts. He stands there saying nothing. Wonderful, I suppose he's waiting on me to panic and beg him to tell me where Rose is at. Well, if that's the case, he has a long wait. Still, I can't afford to just stand here and wait for him to speak, not when Rose is in danger. I brace myself for the taunting and jeers.

"Where is she? Where is Rose?"

There it is, the "I know something you don't" smile that every villain gets when they have Rose, know I'm at their mercy and decide to play a little game before I get to see her.

"You'll see her in due time," he purrs.

"No, I want to see her now. Cut the crap and take me to her."

He's amused by my attempt to control the situation. Every megalomaniac is. They think it's funny that someone thinks enough of themselves to steal their thunder. That and the fact I'm getting angry and losing my temper. That's also another ego booster for them. They like that they are able to make the high and mighty Time Lord lose control of his emotions. However, what most of them don't realize is making me lose control is a very stupid and dangerous thing to do. But, unfortunately, possessing common sense isn't a requirement for being a villain.

"What's wrong, Doctor? Scared your pet might be lying in a pool of her own blood by now?"

I clench my fists while my temper slowly starts to reach the boiling point.

"You better hope she isn't, by God," I snarl at him. "Because if she is, if she's in any kind of pain or distress or harm, you will feel the full fury of the Oncoming Storm and I guarantee you won't like it."

Yup, Mister Thickface decides to keep pressing his luck.

"Does she mean something to you?" he asks, sweetly. "Is she your lover? Is that why you're so desperate to make sure she's alive and unharmed?"

I say nothing, not wanting to endanger Rose further if I tell him I love her. But, just because I don't say it doesn't mean he can't assume it.

"Aaaah, how sweet. You're in love. And here, I thought it was said your race looked down on other species and had nothing to do with them. Apparently, the legends were true when they said you were unique among your kind. You, the great and glorious Doctor, champion of time and space, care for one insignificant girl. So, tell me, Doctor. What species is she? Is she one of those backward humans that have spread out all over the universe like a viral infection? Is she one of those semi-intelligent primates that loves to think it's the most superior thing in all creation and does what it pleases without regard for the rights of others? Is this who you have given your hearts to? A barely functioning ape?"

That did it. I advance towards him with murder in my eyes, no longer caring that he has a blaster leveled at me.

"I have heard enough!" I say, barely managing to keep myself under control. "I want to see Rose and I want to see her now! You will take me to her or I will show you who the semi-intelligent one really is!"

I stare at him with eyes ablaze daring him to disobey. No…make that hoping he'll disobey, so I have good cause to beat him senseless.

Tarsus regards me calmly, which makes me think he's extremely brave or extremely thick. Evidently, his spies haven't told him everything about me since he seems unaware he is in over his head here. But, just when I'm about to throttle him, the idiot laughs in my face and points over my shoulder with the blaster.

"Fine, you want to see your little Rose, I'll take you there. Turn and walk."

Finally, we're getting somewhere. I resist the urge to wrestle the blaster away from him. He may have a remote control or some means of activating a device to harm Rose if I resist. Better to see her and know she is safe before trying something. Keeping my wits about me, I turn and walk forward, praying that Rose is alright.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

We walk through a series of sliding doors and with each one I'm feeling more and more apprehensive. I can hear pussycat chuckling behind me, which makes me think that things are not good. I'm sure he's just waiting for the moment when the door to Rose's cell slides open and I see her lying on the floor, battered and bruised. The thought of that fills me with anguish, an anguish I keep masked from my captor, lest he find more reason to taunt me.

Finally, a door slides open and I see her. My hearts skip a beat when I see that she looks unharmed. She's lying there strapped to a table with an IV in her arm and God knows what is in the bag. Forgetting everything around me, I hurry to her side wanting nothing more than to rip the restraints off and carry her away from here. I notice she's shivering violently and I figure out why when I reach her. The bastard has the air conditioning going and it's coming down directly on her. It's not as heinous as some torments, but any discomfort for her is enough to make me see red and I round on Tarsus who is standing at the foot of the table watching us with an amused grin.

"What's wrong, Doctor?" he says in a smug, self-satisfied tone of voice. "I thought you'd be happy to see her."

"Turn the air conditioning off, damn it! She's freezing!" I say.

"Oh, she is? I hadn't noticed."

He snickers and I want nothing more than to ram his body up through the vent and plug up the cold air. I glance over at the IV bag and notice the liquid isn't dripping into her arm. I have no idea what it is, but I'm betting it's not a saline solution for keeping her hydrated.

"What's this? What's in the bag?" I say, pointing to it.

He's grinning like the, sorry to say it, cat that's got the canary.

"That is a powerful poison," he says, delighting in the explanation. "As you can see, it's not running right now. Of course, that can change depending on your actions. You see, if you are a bad boy, I will activate the drip by remote control and your precious Rose will be dead within minutes."

"Not if I pull the needle out of her arm."

"I will shoot you if you do that."

"Then," I say, with murder in my eyes, "I will pull it out before I die."

"You would risk dying for this insignificant animal?"

I bristle at that. With each passing minute, it's getting harder and harder to keep my temper in check…and the maniac knows it.

"I have died once for Rose and I'll do it again without a second thought," I say.

He's even more amused by that.

"You have? Oh, how sweet, you actually wasted a life on her, I'm touched. Well, I know that Time Lords have thirteen lives, so let's see how many lives you have left then since you are willing to waste all of them defending her."

"No."

I look down at Rose when I hear her speak. She is looking at the blaster with a mixture of fear and horror and my hearts ache for her.

"Don't hurt him, please," she adds.

Another snicker from Tarsus and my temper heats up another notch.

"But, if I kill him, he'll regenerate and live again."

I'm staring right at Rose when I see her mouth something. I don't think it's to me. I think she's saying something to herself, but I can read her lips and my hearts ache even more when I see her saying…

"But, I love him like this."

I glance at Tarsus, but if he knows what she said, he isn't showing it. I decide to change the subject, keep Tarsus occupied while I figure out a plan. Keeping my hand against Rose's arm, so she'll be comforted by my touch, I clear my throat and get Tarsus's attention.

"So, anyway, I'm sure you didn't bring me in here just to watch my interaction with Rose," I say as casually as I can. "I'm guessing you're also going to tell us all about your grand scheme for killing me and getting revenge."

True to form, the megalomaniac is pleased to hear that I want to know what he has in mind for me. Yup, I can play these self-absorbed gits like a fiddle.

"Very well, if you wish to know…I have indeed brought you here to kill you and avenge my brother's death."

"Yeah…and see, that's the murky part because I still don't remember you or your brother. When exactly did I kill him?"

"Several years ago."

"Mm-hmm, well, sorry Tarsie, you're gonna have to be a bit more specific than that because I'm 901 years old. Several years ago doesn't mean anything to me. First off, was it me who supposedly did this?"

"Yes, it was you. You killed my brother."

"Rose, you've been with me throughout this entire incarnation. I ever kill anything that looked remotely like Tarsus?"

Rose shakes her head. I look at Tarsus and shrug.

"Sorry, you must be mistaken. I never killed your brother."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

I sigh and mentally count to ten before I ram my fist in his eye.

"No…I…didn't. I have not met anyone like you or anyone who looks like you before. Now, perhaps you met me in another incarnation…"

"Yes, you were in another incarnation."

I throw up my hands.

"Well, why didn't you say so?"

"I did. I said you killed my brother."

"I meant me, you addlebrained git. Me, as in this life. I was asking did my current self kill your brother."

"No."

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere. What did I look like then?"

"You had yellow hair and…"

"Whoa, whoa, ta, ta, ta, ta, wait…yellow hair? I had yellow hair five lives ago! Well, no wonder I can't remember your brother. I've met about a million people since then and my fifth life was almost five hundred years ago. If revenge is a dish best served cold, your plate is in the bleedin' cryostasis! What, you couldn't locate me before now?"

"It hasn't been five hundred years; it's only been fifteen years ago!"

"Ah, I see. So, nearly five hundred years ago, I journeyed to a point fifteen years before now and killed your brother, is that right?"

I can tell he's completely confused.

"I…guess," he mutters.

"So, five hundred years for me, fifteen for you, which means I'm not the one that killed your brother."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not. The man that supposedly killed your brother is completely different from me. I'm me and he's him and his actions are not my actions."

I keep going, loving the fact that the bastard is flummoxed now. It's fun to see the baddies get flustered like this.

"So, if you want the man that killed your brother, you're gonna have to find the fifth version of me, I'm afraid. I had nothing to do with it. Unlike my gung-ho kill anything that moves fifth self, I'm a pacifist. I hate killing. Despise it. That's why I'm a Buddhist. Yup, in my spare time when I'm not out saving the universe, I'm going door to door with a begging bowl and meditating deeply under my Bodhi tree in my quest to attain Nirvana and escape this wretched cycle of regeneration. I won't even step on an ant. Bad for my karma. Don't want to end up a dormouse in my next life. I don't think Rose would want to date a dormouse either. It's be embarrassing for her to be seen out in public with me, not to mention she'd be sharing the TARDIS with two tons of cheese. And then, of course, she would have to help me eat the cheese, which would mean painful constipation, which means untold hours in the loo, which means there would be trips to the hospital to get her some enemas and that would be even more embarrassing and uncomfortable for her. On the other hand, I would probably spend time in the shop if the hospital even had a shop, which of course it would because I would never take Rose somewhere where they didn't have a little shop I could spend my time in because the last thing I want is to stand there beside her as she lay belly down on a hospital bed with a rubber tube up her bum getting her colon flushed out and…"

"Enough!"

. Oops, I think me and my gob went a bit too far just then. Tarsus walks up and jams the blaster in my face.

"I have had enough of you and your idiocy!" he snarls. "You will come with me to a holding cell until it is time for you to die."

"Not without Rose."

"You have no say in the matter."

My eyes burning with rage, I stare directly into his yellow cat eyes making sure he knows I mean business.

"Rose…is coming with me. I am not letting her out of my sight especially since you have a poison drip attached to her arm. If I'm to die, then I want my last hours spent in her presence. You can tie me up, tie me down, post a hundred guards around the cell, chain me, hang me from the ceiling and keep laser beams positioned all around me, so I get barbecued if I so much as sneeze in the wrong direction, but she is coming with me or I guarantee I will go down fighting and take you with me."

I can see him looking at me. I know what my face looks like. I look half insane and that's what he's seeing. Finally, he's getting that perhaps I'm not someone to be taken lightly. That perhaps it was a mistake capturing my companion and me. And believe me, I have no intention of staying here until I or Rose ends up dead, but I need time and I want Rose away from the IV. Once she's safe from the poison, then I can make my move, but come hell or high water, Rose Tyler is getting off this table and walking out of the room by my side. Tarsus rolls his eyes.

"Fine," he mutters. "Whatever. You want your lover with you before you die, then far be it from me to deny you that."

He points the blaster at my forehead.

"One wrong move and she'll die. If you're going to go down fighting and take me down with you, then pretty little Rose will be the first casualty and unlike you, she won't be coming back to life. Got that?"

"Got it."

"Get over against the wall and kneel with your hands on your legs where I can see them and remember one wrong move and Rose Tyler gets a blaster bolt through the heart."

Glowering, I take one more look at Rose before I move over to the wall and obey.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

He has a plan, I just know it.

I keep telling myself that over and over as I walk by the Doctor's side to whatever cell Tarsus is taking us to. He has his hand on my back trying to give me a bit of comfort. Of course Tarsus finds this funny and taunts him but for the moment the Doctor holds back since he has the blaster at my back and the beginnings of what I pray is a plan for escape brewing inside his mind. At least I hope that's the case.

He leads us through a couple of corridors and down a flight of stairs before we finally reach the cells. The front of it is made of plastic or Plexiglas while the rest of the walls are made of steel like the rest of the ship and contains a small toilet, sink and metal horizontal slat sticking out of the wall that serves as the bed. He pushes a button beside one of the cells and the Plexiglas slides back.

"In!" he orders.

I go in with the Doctor and we turn to face him. The Doctor takes his hand away and walks up to the front while he slides the wall back.

"How long are we gonna stay in here?" he asks.

Tarsus smirks.

"Until you both die, Time Lord," he says, "and now that you are both inside..."

He reaches over to the wall beside him and pushes another button. Suddenly, a Plexiglas partition slides down beside me, separating me from the Doctor. He lets out a yell of rage and beats on it while I put my hands on it and watch him.

"We had a deal!" he yells at Tarsus.

"Indeed we did, Time Lord. You said you wanted her to come with you and you didn't want her out of your sight. Well, she's not out of your sight. You can still see her. I'm sorry, my dear Doctor, but you didn't specify that you needed to be in the same cell so I decided to separate you to further ensure your cooperation. Obey my orders or I will pump poison gas into that side and you'll watch her slowly die."

I glance at the Doctor and shiver when I see the fury on his face and how black his eyes are. If there's one thing he hates it's being tricked and I know that right at the moment Tarsus would be wise to keep his distance because the Doctor has murder on his mind. But the stupid git just has this idiotic grin on his face, chuffed that he supposedly outwitted a Time Lord.

"I swear if you harm her…" the Doctor growls at him.

I raise my eyebrow when the dumbass starts taunting him about our relationship and I watch as the Doctor becomes even angrier. I begin to wonder if his brother died because he did the exact same thing to him. He raises his blaster.

"I want you to come with me now," Tarsus says.

"Come where?"

"You'll see."

He quickly presses another button and I yell in shock when a dart shoots out from the wall on his left side and strikes him in the neck.

"Doctor!" I yell as he falls to the floor unconscious.

I squat down and stare at him.

"What have you done?" I said as my hearts beat out of my chest.

He chuckles.

"Don't fear for him, my pretty one. I didn't kill your beloved. He's been knocked out because I wish him to come with me for a little chat."

"If you harm him…"

He lets out a loud and boisterous laugh.

"You? What can you do to me, little human? You are weak and simpleminded like all your species. I could kill you in a heartbeat if I wanted to. But for the moment, I will spare your pathetic life because I still need you. In the meantime, I will exact my revenge upon the Doctor for what he did to my brother."

I watch helplessly with my hands pressed against the Plexiglas while Tarsus enters the cell and grabs the Doctor under his arms. He chuckles when he pulls him outside the room.

"Don't worry; I'll bring him back soon. Although he might be a little worse for wear when he gets back," he says gleefully.

My heart catches in my throat. I pray that the Doctor wakes up in his arms and punches his lights out. My heart sinks when he stays unconscious and I send up another prayer that he'll be alright while I watch his tormentor drag him out of sight.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Oooooh, my head. Blimey, what the hell was that?

I slowly open my eyes and wait while my vision clears up. I test my arms and limbs and find them restrained. I try moving my body and find it restrained as well. Only my head is free and I look down through my blurry vision and notice I've been stripped to the waist while I'm sitting in a chair of some kind. I blink rapidly trying to bring my vision into focus. I see a purple and yellow blur in front of me. Doesn't take me three guesses to know what that is.

"Tarsus," I slur, "what have you done? Where's Rose?"

"Rose is fine," he says.

Finally, my vision begins to come into focus and I see I'm inside a windowless metal room. The only items in it are the iron chair I'm strapped into and a table beside Tarsus that is covered with a grey sheet. I stare at the table and look at him.

"What's that, table for tea time?" I say.

He snorts.

"Facing pain and torment and you still have a flippant tongue. How about we cut it out of your mouth then?"

With a flourish he uncovers the table and I see all manner of torture implements on it. I look at them and then look at the gleeful look on his face.

"I've been waiting awhile for this, Doctor. Finally, I have you at my mercy and now…the screaming can finally begin."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

At long last I have my brother's murderer in my power, completely at my mercy. It feels so good to see him restrained and helpless. And now I will avenge him at last. I don't believe for one second the alien's lies about him not knowing my brother and what happened to him. He looked him right in the eye when he died at his hands. Even if he has regenerated five times he still oughta remember that and if not…well I'll make him remember by using a little pain and torment. If he won't cooperate after that, then I'll make his pretty little sweetheart scream while he watches. Perhaps that would job his memory. But that'll come later; first I'll allow him the chance to confess. I pick up a large dagger from the table. It had been taken from the corpse of a Gherian fighter who dared to cross me. I killed him and claimed his prized dagger as a trophy and now I intend to use it on my captive.

I turn it back and forth in my hand letting the light above us flash off it showing him its beautiful savagery, trying to scare him so he'll be more inclined to talk. But he doesn't seem fazed by it. Instead he sits there and just stares at me with that same defiant look he's had since I captured him. How I loathe that look. I long to just torture and torment him until it's wiped from his face.

I near closer waving the blade under his nose.

"That supposed to scare me?" he says calmly.

"Oh you'll be scared when I get through with you," I reply.

He snorts at that.

"I've had far worse than a dagger to my flesh, trust me," he says.

"Has Rose?"

His eyes become as hard as steel.

"If I were you, I'd keep away from her," he growls. "Because if you make one mark on her body, I'll put a thousand marks on you in return."

I put the dagger against his cheek but his steely gaze doesn't waver. A smirk forms over his face.

"Still not scared," he said. "I've faced far bigger threats than you, Puss."

I slowly cut his cheek watching as the blood runs down his cheek but he still keeps the same expression.

"Still not scared," he repeats.

"Then I'll do the same to Rose."

"You really don't listen, do ya, Cat Boy? I'll repeat then so you'll be sure to understand. Harming Rose is a very bad idea. I care for her and if she gets so much as a paper cut I will bring out my unpleasant side and unleash it on you. You wanna amuse yourself by carving me up like a Christmas turkey, go ahead. It won't bring your brother back to you."

"But I'll have my revenge on you, Doctor!"

"And then what? What happens after I die? Your brother will still be dead. What happens when you're no longer fed by the need for revenge, hmmm? Because revenge is like a cancer. It slowly consumes you until you spend every waking moment thinking of nothing else. If you kill me then that need will no longer be there and then what will you do? Not to mention I'm still not convinced I'm even the one that killed your brother. I' m not the only blonde haired man in existence and I'm pretty sure I'd remember a cat lizard alien since I remember many other people I've been forced to kill. Are you sure you've got the right bloke?"

I pause, my dagger inches from his face while I consider his words.

"He was you, I'm sure of it!"

"How sure? Did you see my TARDIS?"

"No, I wasn't there."

He raises an eyebrow.

"So how do you know it was me?"

"A trusted friend told me."

He smirks.

"And is this friend available? I'd like to talk to him and find out exactly what he knows."

"No, he's miles away on another planet."

"Can you fetch him and bring him here?"

"I don't know where he is right now."

"So basically, my friend and I were kidnapped, I was tied down and my cheek was cut because you heard a second hand account from a friend that you can't even find. You are going to kill me because of a bunch of hearsay that you didn't even bother to go check out. I don't know how many people you've killed, if you've even killed at all. But I can tell you that you shouldn't take killing someone lightly because each time you do it, it destroys a piece of your soul. So if I were you, I'd make damn sure I had the right person before I did it and kill two innocent people in the pursuit of your little vendetta."

Damn him and his logic. Now I'm no longer sure what to do and he knows it. He has a point though. What if I have been planning revenge on the wrong person all this time? I figure my friend is reliable but even he is capable of making mistakes. And if I wasn't there…

As much as I'd like to continue I can't go on with this. The Doctor may kill people without a second thought but I don't and I wanna be absolutely sure he was the one who did it before he's put to death.

"Very well," I say, laying the knife back on the table. "I will spare your life for the moment while I locate my friend and bring him here but I'm warning you, if you are the one who did it. You will be put right back in this chair."

"And I will go willingly if it really is little ol' me," he says. "But thank you for checking before you continue to torture me because I think you'll find I wasn't the one who did it."

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter under my breath. "Just don't get comfortable in that cell of yours."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

I walk over to the table, pick up a syringe of sedative and inject him. I watch while he drifts off to sleep and when he's unconscious, I free him and carry him back to his cell.


End file.
